Big Lottery Fund: Climate Resilience Nicaragua

Nicaragua is particularly vulnerable to climate change, and its chief export crop coffee is also highly sensitive to changes in the weather. Climate change related issues, such as the recent devastating outbreak of coffee leaf rust, are likely to increasingly impact farmer livelihoods in the region. In addition to speculative trading, climate change also impacts commodity markets causing price volatility.

Climate adaptation

Twin partnered with the producer association Cafenica to develop adaptation and resilience strategies for its coffee cooperative members across five different regions in Nicaragua. Participating organsiations also receive support in developing marketing strategies to promote sustainable coffee, leveraging their climate smart practices and adaptation measures as key incentives for buyers. Producer organisations also receive training on trading on global commodity markets and on Price Risk Management.

Developing innovative approaches

The project brings farmers and the scientific community together to find the best adaptation approach in each region. Climate field schools enable farmers to test, monitor and analyse new practices and technologies and use the results to develop community action plans on climate change. After two years, yields and resilience to coffee leaf rust have increased on farms and action plans have been developed in areas such as reforestation and community awareness campaigns.

Climate change advocacy

Twin and Cafénica are working together to mobilise a sector-wide response to climate change to support smallholders in accessing finance for adaptation measures. This includes influencing national and local government policy, establishing an adaptation fund for smallholders co-financed by the coffee industry and hosting roundtable discussions at international industry events, such as SCAA. These events seek to raise awareness and identify systemic solutions for climate change challenges faced by smallholders.

Marketing sustainability: market research and intelligence on sustainability marketing, including support in developing a new Cafenica website in English and Spanish, which features a Climate Change Platform to showcase smallholder and producer organisation adaptation efforts.